Means for propelling vessels, &amp;c.



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MEANS FOR PHDPELLING VESSELS, 81.0.

`(Application led July '7, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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llNrreio drames PATENT Critica.

BENJAMIN BROVN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, 'ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO RACHEL R.GALLAGHER BROWN AND ARCHIBALD J. ROBERTSON, OF

SAME PLACE.

"meANs Foe PaoesLtiNe vessels, sto.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,035, dated October17, 1899.

`Application filed July 7,1899. Serial No. 723,007. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern: Y

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN BROWN, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means forPropelling Vessels, as set forth iu the following specification.

My invention relates to the propuhsionof vessels, and is especiallyadaptable to canalboats.

My object is to provide a simple propelling mechanism for vesselswhereby said vessels may be propelled rapidly and steered easily with areduction in the usual expenditure of motive power, and when said vesselis passing through a canal the advance of said vessel when supplied with.my device will not severely wash the walls of said canal.

My invention consists of certain improved devices combined ina novelmanner, which will be more fully described hereinafter and particularlyrecited in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a side elevation of a vesselwith the wall removed, showing in dotted lines my propelling mechanism.Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view online 2 2 in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is across-sectional view' on line 3 3 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side elevationof a section of an endless-chain propelling device. Fig. 5 is across-sectional view showing the track or wayin which said endless-chainpropelling` device travels with a section of said endless chain mountedthereon. Fig. (5 is a plan view of a section of said propelling device,showing the propellingblades set at an angle inclining'backward from thekeel of said vessel, one of which is located on each side of the keel ofthe vessel and travels in the ways provided therefor, as shown in Figs.l, 2, 8, and 5 of the drawings. There are four of these tracksencirclingthe vessel and forming the endless ways in which the wheels that arejournaledat the pivot where the links of the endless chain are pivotedtogether travels. As these endlesschain propelling devices travel underthe vessel and between decks, it is evident that some water would belifted by them and carried up between decks. I therefore providedrainspouts at suitable distances along the sides of the vessel to carryit overboard, as shown in Fig. 2. A

A is to represent the body of a vessel, B a steam-boiler, and C anengine.

D is a wheel supplied with receptacles to receive the wheels which occurat the pivoted points of the endless chain, to which chain thepropelling-blades are attached.

E is a gear-wheel fastened to the shaft of 6o wheel D, which shaft isjournaled on suitable supports.

F is a gear-pinion which meshes with gearwheel E and is driven by engineC.

G is the driving-blades.

IlV is to represent the jaws in which the driving-blades G are held.

I indicates the wheels,whicl1 carry the endless chain on the trackor wayL.

J is the shaft of wheel D.-

K is a drain-spout to carry the water from between deck and overboard.4y i L is the way in which wheels I run.

The shaft J may be made of two parts and supplied with separategear-wheels E and driven by separate engines. `Therefore the propellingmechanism could be operated singly and at different speeds, therebyfacilitating the handling of the vessel, and should the helm be disabledthe vessel may be steered accurately and kept under control.

When the parts which constitute my device are assembled, they operate asfollows, namely: Vhen engine C is put in motion, it drives wheel D,which in turn drives the endless-chain propelling devices, one of whichis placed on each side of the keel of the vessel, and the driving-bladesof said endless chain being set at an angle and inclining backward fromthe keel of the vessel it is obvious that with said blades set at suchangle and traveling under the vessel and from stem to stern thereof thetendency would be to draw the Water to the center of and under thevessel, which when traveling in a canal would have a tendency to relievethe walls of the canal from the water-pressure which would be forcedagainst them by the vessels advance when in transit.

I am aware that it has been sought to pro- 10o pel vessels' byendless-chain propulsion for use inrivers and canals, the specificconstruction of all of which I hereby disclaim. Having thus described myinventiomwhat I claim is- In means for propelling vessels, a vesselprovided with two oblong longitudinally-diskeel of the vessel, Wheelsjournaled on each of the pivotedl points of said sections or plates andadapted to travel on tracksin said ways, a driving-wheel journaled on anaxle and carrying said propelling device, suitable gearing connectingthe same with asource of power, and water-exits from said ways above thedeck of the vessel, substantially as described.

BENJAMIN BROWN. lVitnesses:

C. T. KARR, O. G. WILSON.

